Man arrested on second OUI in connection with sheared-off utility pole

Oak Bluffs police investigating a sheared-off utility pole at the corner of Barnes Road and Alpine Avenue arrested Italo K. Mamedes, 22, of Oak Bluffs at his home early Sunday morning on a second offense of operating under the influence of alcohol, and a second offense of driving without a license.

Police arrived at the accident scene about 1:15 am Sunday and found no vehicle in the area.

Debris at the scene led police to believe the vehicle involved was a white Ford F-series pickup truck. After several hours of searching, police located a white Ford F-150 truck at a home on Manchester Avenue. There was fresh damage to the front of the vehicle and the airbags were deployed, but covered with clothing, according to the police report.

The vehicle owner, Patricio Maria, told police he had allowed Mr. Mamedes to drive the truck for the past week, according to the report.

During questioning, Mr. Mamedes, who lives at the same address, insisted he was not involved in the accident, but police said he had an injury consistent with being struck by an airbag.

“I asked how he injured his lip, and he started to frantically wipe the blood away,” Officer Seth Harlow said in his police report. “Mamedes told me his girlfriend hit him two days prior.

Mamedes claimed he was not driving that night, but couldn’t tell me how he had gotten home from the bar.”

Mr. Mamedes failed three field sobriety tests, according to police, and was placed under arrest.

On July 8, 2013, Mr. Mamedes was convicted of driving drunk in Edgartown District Court, and ordered to pay a $500 fine, according to court documents. On August 25 of this year, he was charged with assault and battery, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.